Local sports clubs in Balbriggan, Balrothery, Skerries and Loughshinny could get a major upgrade with the installation of electric vehicle charging points, thanks to a new government scheme. The Shared Island Fund will provide €15 million for the roll-out of publicly accessible, fast-charging stations for sports clubs and communities across the island of Ireland. This is another example of how the Government is working in practical ways with all communities on the island, for a sustainable, shared future.
Councillor Karen Power praised the benefit of the scheme for her local area;
“This excellent initiative will plug Balbriggan, Skerries, Balrothery and Loughshinny into the future of electric vehicles and help us progress away from our reliance on fossil fuels. Local clubs are already at the heart of the community, so it will be enormously helpful for people to be able to charge their vehicles while they are out training with or supporting our local sports clubs. This scheme will make electric vehicles an option for many people who wouldn’t have considered them viable in the past, and I’m delighted to see this opportunity given to my local clubs.”
The scheme will allow sports clubs, both North and South, to apply to install a fast electric vehicle charge point at their grounds which can be used by members and the wider community. The initiative is in partnership with Sports Ireland and Sports Governing Bodies across the island, and administered by Pobal.
Eamon Ryan, Minister for Transport, explained why sports clubs are an ideal location for charging stations;
“Local sports clubs are the foundation of many communities and places where many of us frequently visit. That’s why it makes sense to provide charging stations somewhere accessible to the whole community across the island of Ireland. This is an important step forward on the road to transport electrification.”
For further information on how to apply, visit pobal.ie/programmes/ZEVISchemes.
